Bradley Lord discusses the factor that distinguishes a good driver from a better one: adaptability is the key criterion
Will driving style be the deciding factor between the two Mercedes drivers in the 2026 Formula 1 season? While youngster Kimi Antonelli seems to be really coming into his own after a difficult debut year, the experienced George Russell is surprisingly struggling to keep up with his teammate.
The situation is somewhat reminiscent of Lewis Hamilton, who was outshone by Russell at Mercedes and also couldn’t get a foothold in his first year at Ferrari. With the end of the ground-effect era, the seven-time world champion’s performance also returned.
Does Antonelli’s driving style therefore simply suit the current generation of Formula 1 cars better? Mercedes’ deputy team principal Bradley Lord considers this a difficult topic: “I’m never quite sure what to say when we talk about driving style. Because I believe the rule always applies that the best drivers are also the most versatile drivers,“ he says.
”That’s exactly why pure driving talent often stands out so strongly in the wet: Because no two laps are the same, the grip is never the same, and therefore the ability to adapt from lap to lap makes all the difference.”
“I think we’ve seen many drivers in the field, both in the past and now, who have remained competitive at the top even through major rule changes. The real nuances of driving style therefore often come down to changes in tire construction and how the tires perform,” he continues.
In 2026, for example, Formula 1 cars will be running at significantly higher tire pressures than in previous years. “And that can have small effects on how they approach braking, corner entry, and things like that,” says Lord.
“And likewise, there are some nuances in driving style that can have a disproportionately large impact on things like energy management and the like.”
Today’s Formula 1 cars also have some characteristics that could be described as counterintuitive. Drivers have to drive against their instincts in order to be faster in other areas.
“So, to be honest, I don’t know how much of this is due to innate driving style as such, because the ability to fine-tune and adapt is often what sets drivers apart from one another,” says Lord.
Nevertheless, he wants to emphasize that both drivers are capable of adapting to the circumstances. Russell has simply taken a slightly more aggressive approach to the challenges of adapting and adjusting.
“But I don’t think there’s any fundamental limitation for George or Kimi that would mean they can’t get the very most out of the car. And we’ve seen that—after all, both have won Grands Prix this year, and in quite impressive fashion.”